The management of the Nigerian Ports Authority has announced the
approval of a 10 per cent discount on harbour dues for vessels calling
at the eastern ports.
According to the agency, this is part of the efforts to increase patronage of the eastern ports.
The
ports that would be affected by the incentive are Calabar, Rivers and
Delta Ports, the NPA indicated in a statement from the beginning of
today.
In the statement signed
by its General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Jatto
Adams, the NPA listed the types of vessels and cargoes that would enjoy
the 10 per cent discount to include container vessels with at least 250
20-foot equivalent units, general cargo vessels with at least 16,000
metric tonnes, combo vessels with at least 16,000 MT, roll-on-roll-off
vessels with at least 250 units of vehicles.
It
stated, These discounts shall not apply to vessels coming inballast
(without any cargo), vessels calling at private jetties, and vessels
calling carrying liquid bulk.
NPA announced that the application of the incentive was with immediate effect.
The
Federal Government is reported to have withdrawn the 30 per cent
incentive granted to vessels calling at the eastern ports after the
concession of the ports.
This shot up freight charges for the ports, more than for vessels calling at the Lagos ports.
As
part of efforts to decongest Lagos ports and divert vessel traffic to
the eastern ports, the Federal Government had in the past year made huge
investments in the eastern ports to rehabilitate them and make them
more attractive to importers.
The
General Manager, Security at NPA, Iheanacho Ebubeogu, suggested a
reduction in tariffs as part of the incentives to attract vessels to the
eastern ports.
He said this would encourage
effective utilisation of the ports because if cost differential between
Lagos and the eastern ports was down by 30 per cent, importers would be
attracted to use the ports.
When I mean a review of tariff across the board, NPA tariff has to come down, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency should review its Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) tariff, Customs tariff should come down so that people can be motivated. I do not want us to think that addressing security alone will achieve this goal.